Preserved
by imjustpeachee
Summary: Donatello has seen the future when the Ultimate Drako sent him to that awful reality. Now he has a chance to save his family from it ever happening. Warnings: SAINW based, horror themes (Created for the TMNT Horror Fanbook, I OWN NOTHING)


The lair was anything but quiet as Donatello sat in his lab; door slightly ajar to let the cacophony of sound in. Yet another "fight" between his brightly banded brothers had broken out, filled with empty threats and glass-shattering shrieks. Shaking his head amusedly, Donnie turned back to his glowing computer screen. Splashed across the pixels were dozens of articles, each more unbelievable than the last. Fairy legends, spells of the occult, even an ad for a Ouija board.

Don rubbed a hand down his face. The rough skin dragged over the pale skin of his cheeks, brushing the dark bruises under his eyes. Sighing more heavily, Don closed the more ridiculous articles, and brought up his search window yet again.

" _Protection spells: physical wards."_

"Don? You in here?"

Startled by the soft voice, Donnie hastily put his computer to sleep, whirling around to see his older brother silhouetted by the golden light of the lair.

"You ok?"

"Yeah Leo I'm fine, just working on a few things," he laughed nervously.

Leo's eyes roamed over the tired form of his brother. He saw the exhaustion hanging on his brother's shoulders, and yet the frantic shine of his eyes belied the clear fatigue written on his face. Stepping deeper into the gloom of Don's lab, Leo walked slowly over, pulling up the rickety stool Don kept by his lab worktable.

"Donnie…"

"Leo really I'm-"

"Nightmares?"

Donnie's mouth snapped shut. The nightmares. Their family had faced a terrible separation thanks to the Ultimate Drako. Each member had faced their own challenges, and yet Donnie couldn't seem to shake the terror and pain of his own encounter.

"Talk to me Don," Leo pressed gently, leaning forward to place a hand on his brother's shoulder.

Donnie looked away in shame.

"You heard what happened Leo," he said woodenly. "I told _everyone_ what happened."

Leo nodded.

"Yes you did," he agreed. "But clearly there is something more you haven't said yet."

Donnie dragged tired eyes off the floor to stare at the worried face of his leader. His protector. Anxiously, his mind drifted to the first few weeks after he had explained his horrific experience to his brothers. In a frantic flurry of activity, Don had re-worked their entire security system, beefing up the expansive network of cameras, firewalls, and sensors that made their home a veritable Fort Knox. It wasn't nearly enough.

"I can't lose you guys," he whispered. "You don't know what it was like to watch you all…I just…I can't…"

Leo leaned forward and enveloped his younger brother in his strong arms.

"We aren't going anywhere Donnie. You won't lose us."

Donnie silently buried his head in Leo's chest. It was an empty promise. One they both knew was a lie. Their lives were filled with danger no matter what they did. And right now, the threat of the Shredder hung heavily in the lair. Donnie gripped Leo tighter, before letting his arms loosen and pull away.

"Thanks Leo," he said, putting on a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I needed that."

Leo smiled sadly.

"Any time Don. I'm always here if you need me."

Don nodded again, getting to his feet.

"Well I suppose we should go break up World War 3," he sighed.

Leo laughed as he too, stood.

"Yeah, I don't think Splinter would appreciate another broken lamp."

Together they exited the lab where the computer still displayed the odd articles of Don's research.

* * *

While Don's tired appearance seemed to slowly melt away, that gleam of manic energy still glazed over his soft brown eyes. More and more the others would find him in his lab, staring at a screen _filled_ with more and more odd articles.

Don stared intently at the multitude of words filling the screen. A deep scowl seemed permanently affixed to his face. On more than one occasion, Mikey had made the mistake of poking fun at the quiet turtle, calling him a "moodier Raph." Despite the exercise of kicking his brother's shell, Don still seemed to have a dark air of determination hiding behind his eyes.

More often than not, the purple-banded ninja was hovering at his computer, his search history growing stranger and stranger.

" _Druids transportation"_

" _Ebay: Wards and amulets"_

" _Spirits of protection"_

Angrily, Donnie closed another dozen windows. There was nothing! Nothing to help him solve his problem. Nothing that could save his family from that horrible future! They were doomed to grow old in their war with the Shredder: to grow old and _die_ at the cruel hands of their enemy. His technology wasn't enough. Even with his impressive knowledge, his brothers had died. His technology may have ended the Shredder, but it was useless in saving the ones that mattered most. Slowly, Donnie began to wonder. If technology wasn't enough, maybe it was finally time to look beyond the limits of wiring and code. Maybe it was time to investigate the spiritual powers that Splinter had always impressed upon them as real forces in the universe.

"There must be something," Don muttered to himself. "Some way to save their lives. Keep them _safe_."

Again his fingers brushed the keystrokes, taking up a new inquiry.

" _Preservation spells amulets"_

Instantly a flood of hits appeared on the screen. Some were immediately ignored, cheap plastic amulets claiming to elongate life. Ridiculous. Slowly Don scrolled down the list of hits. _"Spirits and Safety,"_ next _"The Myth of Sandruis,"_ and what the heck was ?Angrily Donnie pushed away from his desk. This was stupid. All the false leads, all the ridiculous junk people tried to pawn off on suckers. It was ridiculous.

He knew there were real spiritual powers out there, real amulets and trinkets that held mystic powers. Just look at the Shredder's Elite Ninja…wait. Why didn't he think of that before? Clearly the Foot were knowledgeable about the mystic powers that resided in this world. He should "ask" them!

Grinning widely, Donnie cracked his knuckles and got down to work. Eagerly he bypassed the firewalls surrounding the Foot's network. With hardly any restraint, he dove headlong into their files, eyes devouring everything he could get his digital hands on.

It wasn't ten minutes later Donnie found what he was looking for: "Mystic Arms and Utilities."

"Finally," Donnie breathed. Hesitantly, he clicked the icon and began to read. So many of the items were truly gruesome things. Traps for the soul, swords that drained life force, armor that fused with the user. Each was more worrisome than the next. Despite his trepidation, he continued to peruse the lines and lines of mystical objects. He was more than halfway down the list when Donnie found a promising entry, " _Hozon no tama_."

"The Orb of Preservation," he effortlessly translated. "Located in the Akaishi mountain range. Deep beneath the earth in a shrine long forgotten by time."

The brief description was more than Don could hope for. An artifact he could hold in his hands, the orb was of a basic design, asking for the knowledge about those the user wished to preserve for all time. So long as the user protected the orb, no attacks either physical or spiritual could harm those the orb preserved.

Donnie felt the weight of his brothers' deaths finally fall from his shoulders. He had a way out now. A way to prevent that horrible future from happening! It was perfect. All he had to do was a bit more research to find out where it was…how to get there…

"Hey Brainiac! What's da hold up?" the loud brash voice of his hotheaded brother broke through Don's giddy euphoria. "We're gonna start da movie wit'out ya if ya don't git out 'ere!"

Donnie glanced over his shoulder longingly. His research could wait for a little while. He had time now.

Standing up, he stretched to the ceiling, feeling satisfying pops run up his spine as his back realigned itself.

"Hold your horses," he called back good-naturedly. "I'm coming!"

Leisurely he walked out to the living room where his family was camped out for what was undoubtedly a movie marathon. Even Master Splinter was sitting his favorite overstuffed chair. Donnie smiled before settling himself smack in the middle of his brothers on the couch.

As the movie credits opened, Donnie couldn't help but revel in the contentment that permeated the lair. His family was safe, and with the knowledge he now held, they would _stay_ that way.

* * *

The practical obstacle of locating the orb was a bit more difficult than Donnie anticipated. The area was steeped in folklore, and pinning down an exact area the orb could be was mostly hearsay and guesswork. However, the pull of a solution to his nightmare was too much for Don to give up on. He knew the shrine for the orb was in a roughly five-mile stretch of mountain range. He immediately eliminated the more populated shrines that frequented tourists and practitioners alike. His quarry was much more ancient. Lost to time and myth.

Angrily, Donnie scanned the topographical map stretched across his screen. There were plenty of promising locations here, but there was nothing to help narrow them down! Angrily he growled at the screen before leaning back in his chair. The earlier joy he had felt at finding a solution to protecting his family had since faded to a grim determination. The information wasn't coming easy, and he could feel the anxiety that he had kept at bay creeping slowly up his shell. He needed to make _progress_. Slumping in his seat, Don crossed his arms and glared at the screen. What was he missing? It was like looking for a needle in a…

Don sat up straight. Like looking for a needle in a haystack! Except it wasn't hay he needed to look through, it was trees! Looking at the forest covering the mountain range, he found a swath that had been wiped out in a fire. Except for an impossible patch in the middle of devastation. Trees hundreds of years old still grew there, untouched by the ravages of the fire. Donnie grinned. They grew as if, preserved.

Eagerly, Donnie scratched out the coordinates for the very center of the wooded area. He would bet his bo that was where the shrine was. It had to be. Grinning to himself, Don put his hands on top of his head and breathed out slowly. Now that he finally had a destination, all he needed to figure out was how to get there.

"Hey D, ya got a minute?"

Don glanced behind him and frowned as Mikey sauntered in, hands suspiciously behind his back.

"Whatever you have in your hands, I refuse to make it 'breathe fire' Mikey," he said exasperatedly.

Mikey's grin got wider.

"No fire this time bro," he laughed. "Raph has it in his head that he and Leo are the best Mario Kart team in turtle-dom."

Don raised his eyeridge in consternation.

"That's what I said!" Mikey exclaimed. "But they don't believe me…wanna make our dearest older brothers cry?"

Donnie smiled as he accepted the game controller from Mikey's hands.

"Mikey," he said, standing tall from his chair. "It would be my genuine pleasure."

* * *

Planning his route to Japan was _not_ easy. Especially since his brothers wouldn't understand. His nightmares, while less as of late, still haunted his nights leaving dark shadows behind his eyes.

Flights to Japan weren't easy to come by, if Leo's description was anything to go by. Don had tried mining information out of his older brother from his visit to the Ancient One. It was useless to try and convince Splinter to send him for "training." He needed to get to the shrine as quickly as possible. Not waste time training with some master for months on end.

It wasn't until yet another fight broke out between Mikey and Raph that Don found his answer. Once again, Mikey had been taunting Raph, dancing around the hulking turtle, chanting about his fighting prowess and Raph's lack of it. Specifically, Raph's lack of a Battle Nexus Championship trophy. And medal. And statue.

Raph proceeded to pound their little brother, yelling all the abuse in the world at the nimble turtle as they ducked, dodged, and tumbled around the lair. Donnie watched with mild amusement, content to watch the carnage from afar.

"Just ya wait ya knucklehead!" Raph yelled. "I'll get ya dis year and pound da green offa yer face!"

"Fat chance of that Raphie!" Mikey said, twisting out of reach. "Your shell's gotten so fat you'll hardly fit through the portal!"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

"EEP!"

Donnie snorted as Raph's minimal control finally snapped as he tore after Mikey with new energy. Not that Mikey's statement had any truth behind it. Raph was in the best shape of his life. Besides, ss far as he knew, the portal adjusted in size to accommodate the multitude of different sized fighters traveling through the multiverse…

Donnie paused in thought. The portal. Was it only capable of sending people to the Battle Nexus? Or could it send you to other places? Like say, the middle of a Japanese mountain forest?

Ignoring his other brothers, Donnie walked towards the dojo. The only one who would really know about this stuff would be Splinter. But would he give that information willingly?

Donnie paused outside the shoji, trying to calm his thoughts. Splinter would notice if he was out of sorts. Taking a deep breath, he entered the dojo. Sitting serenely was Master Splinter and Leo, relaxed in their meditation.

Donnie stopped a respectful distance away and knelt. He didn't want to interrupt, but he needed this information sooner rather than later.

"Would you care to join us my son?"

Donnie looked up from the ground. Splinter's eyes were closed, but a furred hand was extended in invitation. Hesitantly Donnie rose and made his way over to the center of the room.

"I don't want to interrupt…"

Leo smiled softly before opening one eye.

"Join us Donnie," he said. "When's the last time you actually meditated by choice?"

Donnie frowned, sticking his tongue out at his older brother. Leo chuckled, before resuming his meditation. It was no secret that meditation was not high on Don's list of priorities, but for the information he was looking for, it couldn't hurt right?

Folding his legs, Donnie sat facing his brother and father and closed his eyes. Together the three of them settled into their meditative states, leaving their physical bodies behind.

Donnie felt his body float away as his mind grew and expanded, his soul flying free effortlessly. Slowly he re-centered his thoughts, focusing on his goal. He needed to learn more about the Battle Nexus portal.

"What brings your mind to this thought my son?"

Donnie nearly jumped back into his body. Splinter of course made no sound or even a spiritual ripple when connecting with his mind. Just another display that the rat may be old, but held more power than met the eye. Calming himself, Donnie turned to face the manifestation of Splinter's spirit.

"It's something that has been on my mind Master Splinter," he said. "I've been working on the Battle Shell and am constantly rotating out parts so that it will be safe. Yet there are times I don't find parts for weeks. What if something happens and we need to escape? I wanted to know if the portal we used for the Battle Nexus would be possible for us to use. Or for me to harness that power into a portable version."

The lie slipped easily off his tongue. It wasn't exactly a bad idea to have as a backup escape plan, but Don couldn't imagine Splinter would accept his real answer.

Splinter regarded his son carefully. It hadn't escaped his notice that his gentle genius was tired. Not just tired, but exhausted. Leonardo explained his last encounter with Donatello some days ago, and the fear he still held from his horrible experience in that alternate universe.

"And you wish to pursue this over concerns you have about our family's safety," he clarified.

Donnie flinched, the comment hitting just a little too close to the truth.

"You carry so much weight upon your shoulders my son," Splinter admonished gently. "Is this knowledge something that will truly put you at ease?"

He watched his son's face smooth out into a resolute stare, nodding firmly. Splinter sighed as he contemplated the meaning behind his son's behavior. If it would truly ease his mind and fears, Splinter would be happy to help. However, there was a shadow lurking beneath that veneer of determination. Something that was hovering just on the outside of his sight.

"Please Master Splinter," Donnie asked, a small measure of his fear clipping his words. "This would change everything."

Splinter stared hard at the genius before nodding slowly.

"If this will help ease your worries and keep this family safe, I will teach you," he said.

Splinter watched as Donatello's eyes lit up with joy before launching forward to envelope him in a rare hug. Splinter smiled as he rubbed soothing circles into his son's shell. It seemed he had made the right decision.

* * *

"Again!"

Donnie grit his teeth as he forced his chi towards the symbols written on the dojo floor. Three lit up with brilliant blue light, but the other six remained dark. He breathed deep trying to stretch his chi further, but felt it snap back at him like a rubber band, leaving him tired and drained.

Splinter stepped forward, placing a steadying paw on Donnie's shoulder as he struggled to catch his breath.

"It isn't about force my son," he said. "The chi must flow, steady, strong, untethered."

Donnie wiped at the sweat on his brow. They had been at this for weeks now, and still he hadn't progressed past the third glyph in the sequence. Memorizing the glyphs had been simple, something his mind could easily wrap around. The glyphs each represented an aspect of the place you were coming from, and the place you were going to. But they would be utterly useless without the spiritual energy to communicate between the two points in the universe.

Donnie growled in frustration. Spiritual powers had always been difficult for him to accept. In his world of science and fact, unexplained power and beings threw everything he knew out of control. How could he believe in something he couldn't explain?

Splinter sat back observing his son as he struggled to regain his energy. Donatello was no less talented than his brothers when it came to spiritual prowess, however his own formidable mind was often the very thing that held him back from expressing that.

"What is this power for, my son?"

"To transport physical beings from one point to another," Donnie answered automatically.

Splinter nodded.

"That is the technical answer yes," Splinter agreed. "But what are you using this power for? What is the purpose?"

Donnie frowned at the question. What was Splinter getting at?

Splinter smiled indulgently.

"Perhaps it will be clearer if I asked _who_ are you learning this for?"

Donnie's face went slack in surprise. His brothers. His family. He was doing this for them. He needed this power to protect them. Splinter nodded as understanding flooded Donnie's face.

"Why don't you try again?"

Donnie smiled before focusing his chi once again. The glyphs on the floor began to glow. All nine of them.

* * *

Everything was ready, or at least as ready as Don could get them. His pack was carefully checked over, once, twice, three times in rapid succession. His careful notes were shuffled away in plastic sleeves, neatly bound in a binder. The oversized jacket rolled tightly in the side pocket. He was ready.

It had been three whole months before Master Splinter deemed him ready to use the portal on his own. The portal came with dangers, even if the user did everything correctly, and Splinter would take no chances. The amount of chi to open the portal was substantial, and opening one without having been to the location on the other side before could be dangerous. There was no way to tell what was on the other side aside from what could be seen through the portal window. And if you made a mistake, there was no way for anyone to help, as the glyphs would disappear after they had been used.

However, Donatello had always been a good student, and soon was able to perform basic travel between distances without horribly depleting his chi. When he was able to perform long distance travel under the careful observation of Splinter, he was finally deemed ready to perform the portal ritual without aid.

With the promise that he would only use it in the case of emergency, Splinter had proudly announced Donatello had succeeded in mastering the temperamental form of transportation. Don didn't tell his brothers of his recent success, and Master Splinter respected his wishes to keep that fact quiet. It was only for emergencies, and it wouldn't do for such a powerful ability to be known by their enemies by a slip of the tongue. Both had winced as a particularly loud rendition of _Barbie Girl_ rang throughout the lair at that moment, sung by a _very_ enthusiastic Michelangelo.

The time learning the art of portal transportation had been longer than he would have liked, but now that he had everything in place, Donatello prepared to finally retrieve the _Hozon no tama._

Anxiously Don waited for the rest of his family to drift off to bed. Softly drumming his fingers on his desk, Don listened as the sound in the lair slowly tapered off as each member of his family made their way to bed. Soon there was only the soft sound of the TV, left on when Michelangelo passed out on the couch during his movie marathon.

Peeking outside his door, Donnie looked around the darkened lair. His family was safely sleeping, without any idea of what he was about to do. And if he timed this right, they would never know. Smiling to himself, he quickly stalked over the couch. Mikey was indeed sprawled across the cushions; leg hanging over the back of the couch, snoring loudly. Smiling, Don gently pulled a blanket off another chair and draped it over his little brother.

"I'll be back soon Mikey," he said quietly. "I promise."

With his little brother tucked in, Donnie scurried back to his lab. Grabbing his bo and slinging the pack over his shell, Don resolutely turned to the wall with his carefully formed glyphs. He had gone over them a thousand times and was sure in his portal construction. All it would take is a little of his chi and he would be that much closer to the _Hozon no tama_ and the safety of his family.

Closing his eyes, Donnie breathed deep and let his energy flow. The glyphs began to glow with bright blue energy, swirling and twisting to form the portal. Donnie opened his eyes to look through the hazy window and could make out thick trees and dark earth. Squaring his shoulders, Don gripped his bo and walked through the portal.

* * *

The first thing Donnie noticed was the biting cold wind that needled his skin. Shivering, Don looked around at the dark underbrush, eyes turning from side to side in search of any potential threat. Finding none, Don shrugged one shoulder out from the pack. Spinning it around he dug out his large jacket.

As he pulled the jacket free, Don moved to stand beside an enormous tree trunk, hoping to cut off the cold wind. Finding no such relief, Don lowered the pack to the ground as he slipped his arms into the jacket. Once on, Don bent to pick up his pack and be on his way, biting his lip against the icy chill. However, when he looked up into the wide canopy of tree branches, none of the leaves were moving. Don's eyes grew round and suddenly it didn't matter he had a jacket on. A chill still raced up his spine.

Bringing his bo around in front of him, Don began to walk. The air was damp and musty, like rotting leaves left in the rain. The cloying smell was so strong it made Don's nose scrunch up and his tongue curl in his mouth. It didn't help that the elevation made each breath feel like drawing air through a straw.

Setting his jaw, Don pushed forward, eyes sweeping the gloom for any indication of the shrine. The deeper he went the less light could fight its way through the trees. A think blanket of sharp leaves wove overhead, leaving Donnie squinting into dark corners, and stumbling over grasping roots. More than once, Donnie found himself catching himself on his bo as his feet grew numb. There was something about this place that felt watched. The wood held a presence that leeched the light from the sky, leaving those beneath it faltering and lost in the dark.

The cold wind never ceased, working into every exposed nerve Donnie had, carrying a soft voice just barely above a whisper.

 _So long._ _It's been so long._

Don shook his head, trying to dislodge the voice dripping in his ear. It leaked inside his skull, settling heavily in his thoughts.

 _So close. Come closer little kame._

The pull of the forest grew stronger with each step Don took, dragging him deeper and deeper into shadows. Vaguely, Donnie realized he was walking downhill, the soft dirt sinking beneath his feet.

 _Come. Come little kame. Show us what you seek._

Donnie shivered as he continued walking, unable to break from the pulling of his steps, carrying him closer to the whispers on the wind. His jacket did nothing against the cold now, letting it slither into his bones. Shakily, he reached to a side pocket to bring out a flashlight, trying to penetrate the heavy darkness in front of him.

 _We see you little kame. Don't worry; you'll see us soon._

Donnie began to walk quickly now, fighting the growing thrill of fear that was building in his chest. His heart betrayed him, beating heavily behind his plastron as if announcing his presence. A dark chuckle seemed to agree with that statement, spurring Donnie into a run. The flashlight's pale beam swept across the floor of the forest, small patches of frost covering the dead leaves piled against shady tree trunks.

By this time, Donnie had almost broken into a run, stumbling down the ever-steeper decline. Catching his foot on a loose root, he pitched forward into the dark, sucking in the scream that had nearly escaped his lips.

Tumbling end over end, Donnie felt his bo rip out of his hands, lost among the icy foliage on the hill. Curling tightly around himself, Don waited for the inevitable stop that was bound to come. However, much to his surprise, the ground began to flatten once again, letting him roll to a stop in a tangle of limbs.

Donnie lay unmoving, letting the world right itself once again. Fighting back the nausea surging in his gut, he breathed through his nose eyes shut tight as he took stock of his body. Gingerly he wiggled his fingers and toes, immensely happy to find them responsive. Next he gently flexed his arms and legs. Aside from what were most assuredly impressive bruises forming on his skin, Don found that he was more or less intact. With trepidation, he opened his eyes to take in his surroundings. If possible it was even darker than it was before, with only the faintest of outlines visible in the hazy gloom.

But what he could see in the dark made Donnie gasp in astonishment. Rising out of the ground was an enormous Torii of the darkest wood Donnie had ever seen. The ebony surface of the wood gleamed even in the lack of light, glowing with a powerful aura that made Don's blood race in his veins. Behind it raised a set of stairs packed loosely and crumbling at the edges, as if time held a personal vendetta against them.

Scrambling to his feet, Donnie stood before the entrance and froze. He had finally found the shrine, but now that he was here, he wasn't so sure if he should continue. There was something _wrong_ about this place. Leo would understand. Mikey would have turned around as soon as they got through the portal. Raph would…

Donnie shook his head. No this wasn't a choice. This was his chance to save his family. Whatever was here, he would face it. He would face it and _win._

 _It's rude to stand in doorways kame._

Donnie stared into the darkness above the stairs. Forcing himself to move, he began the arduous walk up the stairs, mindful of the loose stones, and frost. The voices knew he was here. Time to find out where _they_ were. _What_ they were. Climbing higher and higher, Donnie felt the air become thinner, and a dead stillness hung around him, stifling. Trying to keep his breathing even, Don walked on, eyes twitching at small shadows that danced just outside his sight. More than once he thought he saw a figure, but when he turned to see, there was nothing but blackness.

Finally, he reached the top of the stairs to a wide-open courtyard. Crumbling foundations lined the walkway, long beyond recognition or repair. Walking further into the shrine, Donnie could feel eyes on him, and desperately wished he hadn't lost his bo. Granted there probably wasn't much a wooden pole could do against spirits, but without it he felt exposed, vulnerable.

 _Such a brave little kame._

Donnie froze as the voice was so much clearer than it had been on the wind. This one was close. Much, much too close.

"Who are you?" he asked, trying hard to mask the waver in his voice.

Laughter answered him, a crackling and scraping sound of dried leaves.

 _Don't worry little kame. You are almost there._

Don gripped his hands into fists, small tremors running through his body. Hesitantly, he began to walk again, turning back to look for the source of the voice, only to find nothing but gaping darkness.

On he walked, passing collapsing structures, and statues that looked like they had been torn apart, masonry scattered across the walkway. The head of a Komainu(2) stared blankly at the sky, its dead gaze unwavering and cold. The more Donnie stared, the more his skin began to crawl. Quickly he pressed on.

For what seemed like an eternity he walked, when suddenly a dark shape began to take form in the distance. Donnie could only assume it was the Honden(3). The shrine stood in disrepair, with paint that might have been a smooth red at one point, but now was a flaking, peeling scab over the dry wood. Arches that once stood proud and soaring curled in on themselves, sagging beneath the weight of their years. And at the front, a cavernous hole eating itself from the inside out formed the entryway.

 _At last little kame. You found us._

Shaking, Don stepped forward staring into the darkness of the Honden.

"Who are you?" he asked again.

The voices remained silent. Donnie took a deep breath.

" _W-what_ are you?"

The scraping crackling laugh drifted from the black entryway.

 _Such a clever little kame. Should we tell him? Would he understand?_

Donnie clenched his fists at his sides.

"Hozon no Tama?"

The laughter died away quickly into deafening silence, and Donnie swore he saw the blackness expand further from the entryway.

 _You know our name._

Donnie nodded, shocked. In all honesty it was the only thing that made sense. But in all his research, nothing mentioned the Hozon no Tama being sentient.

 _Such a clever little kame…_ the voices whispered, dropped in pitch, soft like velvet over skin.

Encouraged, Donnie spoke again, strength returning to his voice.

"I've come seeking your help," he said. "I wish to preserve the lives of my family."

This time the dark rushed from the Honden, enveloping the genius in a gust of fetid air.

 _You wish to preserve them. To keep them with you forever._

Donnie nodded, even as the loss of his sight had him trembling all over again.

"I w-want to keep them s-safe," he wavered. "Th-this is the only w-way."

The darkness swirled around him, gently gliding over his skin.

 _What would you give little kame? What would you give to preserve those you love?_

Donnie's eyes grew hard. Determined.

"Anything."

The dry leaf laughter returned as the darkness deepened. Don felt weightless as the pitch black air around him pressed tightly to his body.

 _Then who are we to object?_

Donnie gasped as he felt a dark presence crawl into his mind, greedily seeping into the corners.

 _Remember little kame. Remember your loved ones. Who they are, what they look like, what makes them special. We will see them preserved._

And so Donnie let his mind wander. Let his mind fill with thoughts of his family and how much he loved them.

* * *

 _He growled in frustration as his kick went wide_ _ **again**_ _. What was he doing wrong?_

" _Your pivot is throwing you off."_

 _Don whirled around, staring hard at Leo. How long had he been there?_

" _What do you mean?"_

 _Leo pushed off from the wall and walked over to where Donnie had been practicing. He was tired and frustrated, and failing in front of his older brother just took the cake._

" _Your pivot should be more centered under your body," Leo said, demonstrating in slow motion. "When you have your pivot too far behind you, your range gets thrown off. That's why you miss."_

 _Growling Don looked at his feet. He hadn't even thought of that. Of course, when Leo pointed it out, it seemed so obvious. What kind of genius was he if he didn't even-_

" _Show me," Leo said, stepping back to give him space._

 _Don stood, still picturing it in his head. The right spacing would require him to-_

" _Don't think," Leo pressed. "Just do it."_

 _Glaring, Donnie stepped forward towards the target, gathering his steps before pivoting and lashing out with his spin kick. A satisfying thud met their ears as the back of Donnie's heel met the heavy bag._

 _Landing on his feet, Donnie grinned widely at his big brother._

" _I knew you could do it," Leo said with a smile. "You just have to get out of that big brain of yours."_

Donnie felt the memory swell in his mind, filling him with the memory of Leo's gentle encouragement. His steady instruction and guidance bringing him forward, and helping him grow.

 _Wonderful little kame._ The voices praised.

Donnie breathed in as he lost himself to another memory.

 _Little Donnie stared at the device before him. He was running out of time for his Father's Day gift, but he was_ _ **so**_ _close! He just needed this one wire to connect here and…done!_

 _Stepping back Donnie reached for the cup of water he had placed at his lab table for just this occasion. Steadily he poured the water into the device and pushed the little lever. A little red light turned on as he waited. At first it seemed like nothing was happening._

 _In fact, Donnie was just about to burst into tears when suddenly, the sound of bubbling water began to come from the kettle. With a triumphant cry, Donnie leaned over the electric kettle and lifted the lid to look inside. Sure enough, a little billow of steam rose out of the kettle and settled over his face._

 _It worked! Eagerly, Donnie unplugged the device and ran to the kitchen to finish cleaning his gift. As the last drops of water were dried, Donnie sprinted to the living room where the rest of his brothers were gathered. Bouncing on the balls of his feet, Donnie impatiently waited his turn to present his gift. Splinter warmly accepted the drawing Mikey had made, and told Raph how proud he was to own a blanket the hothead had knitted for him. With a smile he reverently admired the shaky calligraphy Leo had painstakingly done for him. Each gift was praised and accepted with warmth and love, and it was all the little genius could do to hold his excitement at bay._

 _Finally it was Donnie's turn. Taking his gift out from behind his back, Donnie gave the electric kettle to Master Splinter. The rat's face wore a shocked expression before turning to the little purple-banded ninja._

" _My son," he said. "Did you fix this by yourself?"_

 _Donnie nodded proudly. They had found the device months ago, and Master Splinter had wistfully told the boys what it was supposed to do. Unfortunately, the kettle wouldn't work when they brought it home._

" _Yeah Sensei," Donnie chirped. "I know you like tea and now it'll be easier for you to have some!"_

 _Tears appeared in the old rat's eyes as he scooped his little genius up for a hug._

" _I am so blessed to call you my son."_

 _The other three trutles crowded in close, where Splinter gathered them into his arms._

" _All of you."_

The feeling of his father's arms around him left Donatello is a state of bliss. The love his father had for them all was immeasurable, and brought warmth and comfort through the hardest of times.

 _Lovely, lovely._ The voices crooned. _Who else little kame?_

The blackness dissolved into another memory.

" _It's not fair!"_

" _Ya don't have ta be a crybaby 'bout it!"_

" _But it's not_ _ **fair!**_ _"_

" _Ah whateva, I'm outta here."_

" _Wait! Raph wait! I can't keep up!"_

 _Donnie watched as the form of his hothead older brother disappeared down the length of the tunnel, the wheels of his skates echoing off the walls. Angrily, Donnie scrubbed at the tears on his face. It really wasn't fair. All his brothers had some kind of wheels and he got the short end of the stick and was stuck walking. Leo and Mikey had long gone on their own adventure, and Raph didn't want to stick around for his brother left on foot._

 _Donnie growled before turning around and going home. It was fine. He didn't want to play with those jerks anyway. Entering his home, Donnie stomped across the lair and slammed the door to his "lab" shut. Still fuming, he picked up a project and began to tinker to forget the unfairness of his brothers._

 _Time ticked by, and before he realized it, it was dinnertime. Donnie sighed as he put down his project and turned towards the door. The anger had burned out of him, and all that was left was sadness. As he made his way to the table, Leo and Mikey were busy telling Master Splinter about their adventure. Donnie just stared down at his plate as he ate. Splinter indulged his sons' story and asked questions about what they did._

 _Turning to his other sons, Splinter asked them about their own adventure. Donnie mumbled a half-hearted response, and Raphael was uncharacteristically quiet. Splinter regarded the two tots, but decided to let them be for the time being. After dinner was cleared away the boys were sent to clean up and get ready for bed. The boys quickly washed up and hopped into bed, with a kiss goodnight from Splinter._

 _Donnie lay awake staring at the ceiling. It just wasn't fair. He wanted to play with Raphie so badly. Raphie_ _ **never**_ _played with him. Said he was too slow. Or too boring. Or… Donnie felt tears form at the corners of his eyes. It just wasn't fair._

 _The next morning, Donnie woke with puffy eyes and heavy heart. Another day of not getting to play with his brothers… As he made his way down the hall, Donnie was surprised to see an equally tired looking Raph blocking his way. Raph's face turned into a deep scowl as he took in the red puffy eyes of his younger brother, mouth turning down at the corners. Without a word he snatched Donnie's wrist and began pulling him towards the lair door. Donnie yelped and tugged at his wrist, asking what had gotten into Raph. Of course his older brother stayed silent as he continued his heavy march towards the door._

 _Unable to break free, Donnie finally relented and followed quietly. Sometimes it was just better to give in where Raph was concerned. Raph yanked open the lair's entrance and pulled Donnie after him, spinning him to look out into the tunnel._

 _Donnie gasped._

 _There in the dark was parked a beautiful bike. The wheels were pumped full and the light shined off the spokes. The handlebars were perfectly straight and even had the grip tape they used on their weapons over them. In fact…the grip tape was red. The whole frame was clean from top to bottom and the seat was adjusted perfectly for his height. Speechless, Donnie fawned over the bike, his eyes as big as saucers._

" _Found it out by da north junction grate," Raph said from behind him._

 _Looking up, Donnie saw the smug grin on Raph's face, and the tired look he had earlier finally made sense. Raph must have stayed up all night cleaning up this bike._

 _Donnie launched himself at his brother._

" _Thank you Raphie! Thank you thank you_ _ **thank you!**_ _"_

 _Raph smirked as he quickly hugged his brother back then pushed away before things got too mushy._

" _Wanna go see da east tunnels afta trainin'?" he asked._

 _Donnie grinned._

" _You bet!"_

Don felt his chest get tight at the memory of his loud, brusque, and caring older brother. Raph was always like that. Big heart buried under all that tough guy muscle.

 _How heartwarming little kame. More._

Donnie paused as he thought of his goofy younger brother. More often than not, Mikey drove him absolutely crazy. But then there were other times…

 _Donnie coughed wetly into his pillow, turning his eyes away from the too bright nightlight in his room. This whole thing started out as a simple cold. Just a sniffle here and there, but soon it had grown out of control into a full-blown flu._

 _He had been absolutely miserable for days now. His head hurt, his nose dripped, his throat burned, and his chest felt too tight. He could hardly keep anything down, and his family was growing more and more worried for him. Donnie didn't get sick often, but when he did it was always bad. And being the family doctor, the rest of his family was left trying to piece together a treatment plan based on their more limited knowledge._

 _Everyone had tried to help, but in all honesty, Donnie just wanted to be left alone to wallow in peace. Sound just gave him a headache, and he couldn't decide if he was burning up or freezing. Everything was spinning, and he just wanted to sleep forever until it all went away._

 _A gentle knock at the door had his head ringing. He meant to say "go away" but it came out as more of a pained moan. Gingerly the door opened, spilling blinding light into the dark room._

" _Hey bro," Mikey whispered, softly closing the door behind him. "I know you aren't feelin' too good, but I brought ya somethin' that might help a little."_

 _Glaring at the fuzzy shape of his younger brother, Donnie huffed in disagreement._

" _Now don't give me that Donnie, you haven't even tried it yet."_

 _Rolling over slowly, Donnie managed to make out the shape of a tray in Mikey's hand. A bowl sat steaming next to a tall glass of water, complete with a couple tablets of advil._

" _Come on bro, just give it a chance."_

 _Groaning, Donnie reluctantly tried to sit up, pausing to let the dizziness pass. Mikey quickly set the tray down on the bedside table, and helped his sick brother into a sitting position. After setting a few pillows behind Don, he turned back to the tray, grabbing the advil and water._

" _I'm guessin' you probably want these guys first?" he asked._

 _Nodding minutely, Donnie shakily grabbed the water and tipped back the two capsules with practiced ease. The burn down his throat had him grimacing. Mikey winced in sympathy as he took back the water._

" _Ok Donnie, I know your throat isn't doin' so great, but ya gotta eat_ _ **somethin'**_ _or Leo is gonna come in here and force feed ya."_

 _Donnie glowered as best he could while shivering._

" _I'd like to see him try," he rasped darkly._

 _Mikey smiled uncertainly as he reached for the steaming bowl. Donnie's stomach flipped at the thought of food, and it showed on his face._

" _I know I know," Mikey sighed. "But at least try yeah?"_

 _Donnie sighed, as he looked at the big blue eyes of his little brother. Even in his miserable state he couldn't say no to his little brother. Sighing again, he nodded._

 _Mikey grinned widely as he took hold of the spoon and prepared to feed his ill brother. Donnie glared. Ill or not, he was_ _ **not**_ _going to be spoon-fed. Mikey sheepishly handed over the spoon and bowl, ready with a napkin should his brother need it._

 _Hesitantly, Donnie brought the spoon to his mouth. A slightly salty smell made it through his stuffed up nose. Preparing for the worst, he opened his mouth and drank the liquid._

 _Instantly warm relief flowed down his throat, with rich flavors filling his mouth. With wide eyes, he looked down at the seemingly simple broth before looking at Mikey._

" _It's your favorite," Mikey grinned. "Homemade chicken noodle soup. Just you know…no chicken. Or noodles."_

 _Reaching out a shaky hand, Donnie brought Mikey in for a weak hug._

" _Thank you bro," he said softly._

 _Mikey drew back grinning even wider._

" _No problem man. Now eat up!"_

 _Donnie smiled as he proceeded to eat the rest of the soup, down to the very last drop._

He knew his brother was a goofball. He knew Mikey liked having a good time, and that included driving his brothers crazy. But he was also one of the most caring people Donnie had ever had the privilege of knowing. And knowing Mikey was his only little brother? No one could ever replace him.

The memories and images of his family continued to flow, images of green skin and bright bandanas, the sounds of laughter and ringing steel. Adventures and desperate situations blended together as he continued to unravel the stories of their lives. Finally, when he felt that he could no longer pull even the minutest memory forward, everything stopped, and the blackness returned.

 _Well done little kame._ The voices rang with dark triumph.

"You did it?" Don asked tiredly. "You were able to use those memories to save them?"

 _Oh yes little kame. They have all been saved thanks to you._

Don felt as the black air that had clung to his skin began to peel away, revealing the crumbling Honden once again. A heavy weight settled in his hands, cool and smooth in his grasp. Looking down, Don saw an orb filled with a swirling white haze that danced lazily beneath the glass. Carefully, he brought it up to gaze into its depths. Flashes of color danced deep inside its core, red, and blue, brown, orange. It was strangely beautiful in an ethereal kind of way. Lowering it, Don looked back at the Honden. The blackness had pulled back deep into the entrance: the structure looking more precarious than ever.

"Is it done then?" he asked.

 _Yes little kame. You have done so well._

Hesitantly, Donnie backed away from the Honden, anxious to leave this dark and foreboding place far behind.

"Then…Then I take my leave then," he said nervously. "Thank you."

Dry leaves answered him.

 _No little kame, thank you._

Disturbed, Donnie turned quickly and started down the walkway, hardly daring to look at the statues and structures that were rotting and collapsing into dust. Hurriedly he raced down the stairs nearly jumping the last five as he shot past the black Torii(1), hastily finding a clear space to create his portal. Once the shaky glyphs were in place, he focused his chi, finding it difficult to center himself.

At last the glowing blue energy flowed through the glyphs, and with hardly a glance, Donnie threw himself through the portal.

* * *

It took a moment for Donnie to recover himself from the dark of the wood. The cool brick under him was a familiar comfort, and for a moment, Donnie let the soothing feels and smells surround his troubled mind. The chill of the wood still clung to his skin, and still he felt the voices trickle into his thoughts, laughing and whispering in his ear. Frightened, Donnie curled around the orb in his arms, squeezing his eyes even tighter. The smooth surface was warm against his skin, and for a moment, Donnie could feel the comfort of his family seeping through the glass. Sighing, Donnie uncurled himself and pushed himself upright. As he opened his eyes, he couldn't help but frown at the darkness that enveloped his lab. He was sure he left at least his desk lamp on, but maybe one of his family members, had come in to turn it off.

Struggling to his feet, Donnie slipped the pack off his shoulders and made his way to the door. More than once, he found himself tripping over some odd or end left on the floor. Frowning, Donnie wondered if maybe Mikey had left things out as a kind of prank for him. He would have to give him a good lecture about that one. There were too many things in his lab that were dangerous to leave things out like that.

Finally, Donnie made his way across his lab to the heavy metal door. Pushing against it, he was surprised that the hinges groaned in protest, only moving a fraction. Hefting the orb in one arm, Don braced his shoulder against the door and pushed. Hard. With a shriek of metal, the door swung open, scraping across the stone floor with a harsh grating sound. Don stepped out from behind the door and felt his heart stop.

The lair was gone. No. Not gone. _Destroyed_.

" _No_ ," he whispered, staggering into the broken room, stumbling over the dusty remains of their home.

It was clear the destruction had happened a while ago. The layer of dust that covered everything was thick, caked on with years of grime. The more Donnie looked, the tighter he gripped the orb. Clutching at it he stared down at the swirls inside as if trying to divine the answer to his horror.

Ripping his eyes away, Donnie felt his breath quicken into shallow gulps as he tried to piece together what had happened. The more he paced around his former home, the more panicked he became. It was just like that time Drako had sent him to that horrible future. But that was impossible. He had the orb! The voices said it had worked!

Frantically, Donnie looked to the gaping holes that lead to the outside. There was one way he could get answers, but getting himself to move seemed like an impossible task. Suddenly a warm thrill raced up his arm from the orb. A shocking blue swirled beneath the white haze. Staring down, Donnie felt the strong presence of Leo floating just beyond his reach.

 _Get out of that big brain of yours._

Nodding slowly, Donnie gathered himself. He needed answers. Sitting here wasn't going to get him anywhere. Steeling himself, Donnie began to pick his way through the rubble. The going was slow, due to all the shifting debris, but eventually Donnie made it topside. Once there he was once again hit with a wave of panic as the streets still held vestiges of the Shredder's brutal rule. But there were no Karai-bots in sight, and not a single foot soldier with a gun to be found. Silently, Donnie made his way through the soundless streets, ducking in and out of shadows. Shadows of strength and warmth emanated from the orb, red streaks churning towards the surface.

"I know Raph," Donnie said quietly. "I'll be careful."

Faster, Donnie darted around buildings, drawing closer to his target. In the distance, brown dead trees that had once been Central Park came into view. The closer he got, the more Donnie didn't want to see. This had to be a mistake. It couldn't be like that future he had seen. He had fixed it!

Slowly, Donnie entered the park; the wind sweeping the dead leaves sending familiar shivers up his spine. Creeping along the paths, Don came upon a hidden one, stepping off the cement to a hidden clearing. Keeping his eyes on the ground in front of him, Donnie drew closer to his answer, feeling all warmth drain out of him with every step. Finally, he raised his eyes. A keen wrenched out of him as he sank to the ground, eyes staring at the four graves before him. Tattered bandanas flitted through the breeze while a wizened old cane leaned against a blank plank of wood.

With tears streaming down his face, Donatello screamed his pain, demanding answers from the heavens.

A rustling whisper drifted in his ear.

 _We preserved them for you little kame. All it took was_ _ **time.**_

Through the hysterical sobs, and blinding tears, Donnie could feel the shadow of his father's arms around him.

 _I am so blessed to call you my son._

* * *

 **Epilogue:**

It was April who found him falling apart in front of his family's graves. The shock and pain of his loss sent Donnie into silence, never letting the orb out of his hands. April tried to get the story of where he had been, but all Donnie seemed to talk about were the voices, flinching at the sound of rustling leaves.

Years passed, and Donnie still refused to speak to anyone, secluding himself in the remains of the lair, tinkering away at useless projects, muttering at his orb. Sometimes Angel or April would see flashes of color in the orb, and ask Donnie what it meant. Donnie would mournfully look at them before turning away and crying.

It became obvious that Donnie couldn't truly care for himself as time went on. He would forget to eat, and have "conversations" with his orb for hours. Staring wistfully into its depths as though it held the cure for his broken heart. His friends tried to help him, but more and more they were losing him. It was enough to make April sick with worry. After losing so much, she had finally gained something back in her life; her oldest friend.

And yet he never really came back. He spent more time with that damn orb than he did with any living thing, talking to it while wasting away. When she came to visit and found Donnie on the brink of starvation, she had had more than enough.

"Donatello" she gasped in horror. "What have you done?"

Donnie weakly looked at her from his bed before turning back to the orb on the little bedside table.

"I know Mikey, but I'm just so tired. I don't want to argue with her."

April's eyes widened in anger as the frail turtle brushed his hands against the cool glass.

"I'm ok Father, I promise."

April could feel her fragile control on her composure crack. Her hands clenched angrily at her sides, shaking.

"You are killing yourself," she whispered angrily. "Do you even realize that?"

Donnie continued to stare at the orb, muttering assurances and broken phrases at its swirling contents.

"Enough," April said softly.

Striding forward she said more strongly, "Enough!"

In a lightning fast move she snatched the orb from off the table, raising it high above her head before dashing it upon the ground.

Donatello screamed as he stumbled out of his bed, clutching the shards of the broken orb desperately to his chest, tear-streaked face following the dissipating white haze.

 _It's your favorite…_

 _Wanna go see da east tunnels…_

 _I knew you could do it…_

 _My son…_

Donatello could do nothing but weep as the memories of his family faded from existence, leaving nothing but the rustle of dry leaves behind.

* * *

(1) Torii – shrine gate

(2) Komainu – lion-dog statue, shrine guardian

(3) Honden – main hall, houses the kami or god


End file.
